There currently exists a number of apparatuses designed for use with rigid and elastic bands and similar equipment that allow for performing exercises for strengthening different parts of the body.
As a reference, the following related patents were found:
Patent Application with publication number US20110237410A1, filed by CORE ENERGY FITNESS LLC on Mar. 22, 2011:
This patent application entitled “Resistance Band Exercise Station” consists of a modular hooking system that allows performing different exercises using different types of exercise tools requiring anchorage. This invention utilizes multiple units of safety hooks consisting of open-loop hooks having a barrier member such as a T-bar at the tip to prevent the straps from slipping out.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,711B1 filed by Robert Sylvester on Jul. 31, 2001: This patent entitled, “Elastic cord exercise assembly” consists of an assembly that can be mounted upon the face of a door or wall surface. This machine consists of two guide rails that allow movement to adjust the height of the cord assembly; it also has two cross bars that cover a wide range of exercises by means of an exercise elastic rope.
Patent Application with publication number US2013/0324378A1 filed by LIMITLESS WELLNESS PROJECT LLC, on Dec. 5, 2013:
This patent application entitled, “Removably Mounted Exercise Station” consists of an anchorage member with a plurality of apertures on the front surface, forming rails used to anchor the straps. The band uses a clamp attached to the resistance line made of rubber or plastic, on one side, and one handle on the opposite end. The station can be mounted on trees and other fixed objects using straps. Additionally, the station can be fixed to a wall using screws.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,418B2 filed by Paul Saure on Jun. 25, 2005:
This patent entitled, “Door mounted deadman for exercise devices” consists of a continuous strap that extends vertically in the same direction of the door. The equipment is secured by means of a ladder lock that fits the door and D-rings joined at different heights, where users can attach the elastic bands.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,546 filed by James R. Little on May 6, 2007:
This patent entitled, “Wall-mounted exercise Unit” is another wall mount system that uses two rails with a supporting bracket. This unit allows for multiple exercises, including elbow flexion using a bar, thanks to a cross bar included. This unit has a number of hooks used to connect different adaptors and elastic devices.
Similarly, there is equipment available on the market such as the “Slide Exercise Rail Wall” produced by ISOKINETICS, Inc. This equipment consists of a rail with multiple slots at various heights where resistance bands can be attached. ISOKINETICS, Inc. equipment has been designed exclusively for use with resistance bands which are also manufactured by ISOKINETICS, Inc. Additionally, this structure requires more time than other products available on the market when it comes to move the band to a different height or to change band resistance.
There are other commercial products available such as the “TheraBand Wall Station” and the “TheraBand Rehab and Wellness Station” produced by the company THERABAND, which consist of three rails: two of them are vertically aligned and the third one—a shorter one—is horizontally placed in the middle, allowing for multiple exercises. Both exercise stations require the use of resistance bands which are also made by the company THERABAND.
However, all of the above-mentioned exercise structures or systems designed for use with bands or ropes, either elastic or rigid, have some flaws.
Specifically, the use of the above-mentioned devices and other systems available on the market require a supporting structure, which forces the sporting goods consumer to resort to another object to perform specific exercises, thus causing wear in the object, as well as in the rope or band; besides, as the exercise system is fixed to a third structure, it is rarely placed at the height appropriate to each user.
On the other hand, major consumers of this kind of exercise equipment include gyms and sport centers, which must cater for a considerable large amount of customers, with different exercise requirements, simultaneously; this causes wear in elastic bands or ropes due to the flow of users; furthermore, provided these devices have their own individual supporting structures, they only allow for a few users to exercise at the same time, and therefore no training circuits of muscle groups can be performed by several users simultaneously.
As far as the sportsmen market is concerned, the use of elastic bands and ropes becomes important because they reduce the impact and offer the possibility to perform a wider range of exercises in areas of difficult access or under particular conditions where training is performed (i.e. swimming pools and soccer fields). In some training facilities, supporting structures available on the market cannot be adjusted and sportsmen are forced to resort to any object at hand in order to attach the bands to said objects. This poses a risk since not every object is suitable to bear the force applied; furthermore, continuous friction causes bands to wear rapidly or even put users at risk in case a band disengages from its support structure.
Additionally, exercise products currently available on the market are neither space-efficient nor comfortable, when training with elastic or rigid bands. Particularly, equipment currently available is for individual use; therefore, one device is required for each user which implies higher costs and larger space requirements, especially when users are performing maximum extension exercises such as shoulder blade adduction.
Most of the documents of the prior art reviewed, present equipment which include a straight support which is fully in contact with the surface it is attached to, and it does not accept being attached to a surface having any irregularity or protuberance.
After identifying the above-mentioned problems and deficiencies in state-of-the-art exercise equipment, the modular structure for physical exercise disclosed in this document was developed; it consists of a training station for ropes and resistance bands that substantially eliminates the issues arising from the limitations and disadvantages of the prior art.